ACT Gallery - Opening & Meet the Artists - April 5, 2013

Join Arts for ACT Gallery, located at 2265 First Street in downtown Fort Myers on Friday, April 5, 2013 from 6 to 10 pm for the opening reception and art walk for April 2013.  This month, ACT Gallery will feature The Florida Penn Women Group, Photographer Andrew Miller and the painted furniture, gourd art and more of Kim Kraft-Beckler.  Come downtown to view great art and support ACT Gallery and Boutique. 

The Southwest Branch of National League of American Pen Women, Inc. will be showing their works of art, including paintings, mixed media, photography, digital art, glass, pottery and jewelry at the art gallery, while the writers will display their published books.  This group of talented women come from Sanibel, Fort Myers, Matlacha, St. James City, Cape Coral and the Port Charlotte areas.

The National organization of American Pen Women began in 1897 in Washington D.C., to promote the creative talents of professional women artists, writers, dramatists, and musicians. The Florida Branch, established in 1977 is comprised of professional women who work in the arts as artists or writers. 

These professionals are award winning, published, many are speakers and lecturers at conferences, with state or national recognition. 

Participating members in painting and photography are Barb Albin, Cheryl Fausel, Christine Reichow, Honey Costa, Janis Balabon, Joan Klutch, Dr. Kyra Belan, Pam Brodersen, Peg Cullen, Sharyn Dahn, Shirley Hales, and Lynn Berreitter.  Beverly Spana will display her glass works and Gay Cable will show her jewelry.  Authors j.d. daniels, Lorraine Walker Williams, Marsha Perlman and Dr. Kyra Belan will have books for sale. 

Andrew Miller

Photographer “Raw Images from the Camera to the Frame”
Andrew Miller is a downtown Fort Myers based photographer, with a preference for shooting on 35mm film. Displaying a passion for 'street photography', Miller's photographic influences include Henri Cartier-Bresson, and contemporary actor Jeff Bridges.  Often selected for juried exhibits, in 2012 his work has been on gallery display in Los Angeles, NY, CT, Pittsburgh, Louisville, Tampa, and Ft. Lauderdale.  Most recently, he was one of the selected artists on display for the “CAMERA USA,” exhibit at the prestigious Von Liebig Museum in Naples, FL.

The 'RAW IMAGES' series of fine art nude portraits is the artist's 'answer' to what he calls the 'over-photoshopification' of the commercial photo environment. Believing that far too many images are created in post-production by a photo edit program, the photos in this series remain untouched by any electronic medium. Using a vintage Polaroid camera and contemporary Fuji film, the images you see on display are the very photos that were literally pulled from the camera. They have not been edited in any fashion. Each one is THE original, and no copies exist.

Kim Kraft-Beckler  is an award winning gourd artist and is in many personal and corporate collections here and abroad. She also paints canvas and unique furniture.  Her love of nature, color, and the simple pleasures of life inspire her work.  Kraft-Beckler is a naïve painter whopaints on anything she can get her hands on.  Furniture, knick-knacks, doors, windows are just some of her found objects that she brings the beauty out in, recycling is the driving force behind her art.  Come see what beauties Kraft-Beckler has created from recycled items, gourds and even on canvas!

These exhibits continue through Monday, April 29, 2013.